Last Updated on 01/08/2024 by wccexam Desk
Finally IAS officer Pooja Khedkar has now become ex-IAS officer Pooja Khedkar. What was feared in view of the allegations of fraud and forgery against Pooja Khedkar, has happened. The Union Public Service Commission i.e. UPSC rejected her candidature as a trainee IAS. UPSC not only rejected her candidature, but also barred her from appearing in any examination or selection in future. Let us tell you the whole story of the fraud Pooja.
UPSC will change its SOP
‘Aaj Tak’ had exposed the sword of rejection of candidature hanging over Pooja Khedkar and told that she can be removed from the post of an IAS forever and now that has happened. How serious is this case of Pooja Khedkar, it can be guessed only from the fact that in view of this case of Pooja Khedkar, UPSC has decided to bring changes in its SOP i.e. Standard Operating Procedure, so that no one can ever appear in the examinations more than once by deviating from the rules by fooling the UPSC.
Pooja had changed her parents’ name
UPSC has said that Pooja Khedkar’s case is the only case in which UPSC could not identify her claim because Pooja had changed not only her name but also the name of her parents. UPSC has said that the initial investigation of the documents available with it has made it clear that Pooja Khedkar violated the rules of Civil Services Examination i.e. CSE-2022.
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Pooja did not come to present her side on July 30
On July 18, UPSC had issued a show cause notice to Pooja Khedkar in this regard and asked how she had fakely changed her identity and appeared in UPSC exams more than the limit? She was given time till July 25 to give her reply, however, Pooja has currently asked for time till August 4 to give her reply. On which UPSC had given her time till 3:30 pm on July 30, so that she could present her side, but despite this, Pooja did not present her side. And then UPSC took this decision.
Now the candidates of last 15 years will be investigated
UPSC had clearly told Pooja that it is not possible for UPSC to give her more time than 30th July. You will be surprised to know that in view of Pooja Khedkar’s case, UPSC investigated the turn of all the candidates appearing in the exam from the year 2009 to the year 2023 i.e. in the last 15 years, so that it could be known that no one had given the exam more than the limit of attempts by flouting the rules like Pooja Khedkar, but in these 15 years, Pooja Khedkar’s case was the only one in which a candidate violated the rules and appeared in the exam more than the limit by cheating. And this was possible because Pooja had changed her name as well as her parents’ name.
only preliminary verification of documents
UPSC has also clarified its stand regarding the documents to be submitted by the candidates. It has said that whether it is a caste certificate, disability certificate or anything else, UPSC only does a preliminary investigation of the documents. For example, UPSC checks whether the certificate is from a competent authority or not, whether the year and other details mentioned on it are correct or not, whether there is any overwriting, etc. Now let’s talk about the allegations of rigging against Pooja Khedkar.
Accusation number 1 – Fraud in the name of age
Occupying her senior’s room, putting red-blue lights on her private car and showing off proved so costly for Pooja Khedkar that UPSC started an investigation against her. And for this, a one-member committee was formed. And the biggest scam that this committee exposed regarding Pooja’s becoming an IAS officer was the age fraud.
According to the UPSC report, Pooja Khedkar has taken advantage of the UPSC exam by appearing in it more times than the maximum limit allowed under the UPSC rules for selection. The investigation has revealed that she fraudulently took advantage of the attempts taken by her beyond the limit allowed under the exam rules by creating a fake identity by changing her name, her father’s and mother’s name, her photograph/signature, her email ID, mobile number and address.
Actually, candidates under different categories get different opportunities to appear in UPSC exam. For example, any candidate of general category can appear in UPSC exam a total of six times before the age of 32. Under OBC category, there is a relaxation to appear in the exam a total of 9 times till the age of 35. Whereas under SC ST quota, one can appear in UPSC exam till the age of 37. It is clear from this statement of UPSC that Pooja Khedkar appeared in the exam more times than the prescribed limit to clear the exam. And for this, every time she used a new name and new identity.
Accusation number-2- Changing even the name of parents
Now when age-related fraud had to be done, caste also had to be changed and to change caste, Pooja Khedkar even changed her parents’ names. UPSC has said in its investigation report that Pooja Khedkar changed her name, her father’s and mother’s name, her photo, signature, her email ID, mobile number and address and appeared for UPSC exam more times than the prescribed limit.
Accusation No.3- Creamy life, benefits of non-creamy layer
Pooja passed the UPSC exam from the OBC non-creamy layer quota, while Pooja herself has property worth around 17 to 20 crores in her name. From which she earns lakhs of rupees in rent. Now the criteria for non-creamy layer students appearing for UPSC exam is that their income should be less than 8 lakhs per annum. Actually, in the recently held Lok Sabha elections, Pooja’s father Dilip Khedkar also jumped into the election, but he lost the election, but his property details submitted to the Election Commission have now become a burden on him as well as his daughter. Since in the property details, apart from himself, he had also given information about his wife and daughter, it was revealed that the entire family is half a billionaire. That means Pooja does not come from the non-creamy layer.
Allegation no.4- Report of knee disability is also false?
One of the allegations against Pooja Khedkar is that she took advantage in the IAS exam by falsely declaring herself as disabled. Actually, Pune’s Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial Hospital had declared Pooja as 7 percent disabled. It was said that she had locomotor disability in her left knee. But the report of the Physiotherapy Department of the same hospital says that Pooja Khedkar has no disability at all. That means now the hospital administration itself is under the scanner regarding Pooja’s disability certificate.
Accusation No.5- An illusion or a fraud of the eyes?
As if these scams and allegations till now were not enough, it became clear in the UPSC investigation that Pooja had also claimed to have mental problems and weak eyesight to pass the UPSC exam through fraudulent means. Khedkar had duly submitted a certificate to UPSC for this. According to this medical certificate, she has mental problems and her eyesight is weak and her vision is going. Regarding the mental problem, she said that she is not able to remember things. UPSC has a special handicapped quota for such students.
The weapon of OBC non-creamy layer is the attack of disability
But here Pooja had many weapons. There was the weapon of OBC non-creamy layer. And there was also the attack of disability. On the strength of both of these, she cleared the UPSC exam and became an IAS in 2022 with All India Rank 821. However, if the total marks that Pooja got after including the return and interview were given to a general category student, then there was no question that she would have been able to pass this exam.
Pooja kept avoiding the test by making excuses
According to the rules, before posting, UPSC asked Pooja for all the proofs of disability. For this, UPSC decided to get Pooja examined in AIIMS. UPSC only accepts the reports of government hospitals. Through this report, UPSC wanted to confirm that Pooja is really mentally ill and has weak eyesight. For Pooja’s medical test, UPSC took appointments with doctors in AIIMS a total of six times. But you will be surprised to know that Pooja kept avoiding the test every time by making excuses. And this also went against Pooja in UPSC’s investigation.
The test was not conducted despite the instructions of UPSC
UPSC first asked Pooja to go to AIIMS for a test on 22 April 2022. Pooja did not go. Later she made an excuse that she did not want to go to the hospital because she had corona. After this, Pooja was asked to go to AIIMS for the second time on 26 May 2022. She did not go even then. Then on 1 July 2022, 26 August 2022, 2 September 2022 and 25 November 2022, Pooja was also asked to go to AIIMS for the test. During this time, her MRI was also to be done, so that it could be ascertained what was the reason for her loss of vision. But Pooja did not go for the test despite repeated requests from UPSC.
Medical certificate of private hospital was not accepted
After some time, Pooja submitted a medical certificate of a private hospital to UPSC. But UPSC refused to accept the report of the private hospital. After this, UPSC sent Pooja’s case to CAT i.e. Central Administrative Tribunal. CAT also refused to accept the medical certificate of the private hospital regarding Pooja’s disability. As per rules, Pooja should not have been posted anywhere after this. But surprisingly, in June this year, Pooja was given Maharashtra cadre and sent to Pune as a trainee IAS officer as Assistant Collector. The order for this posting of Pooja was issued by DOPT i.e. Department of Personnel and Training.
Now Pooja reached the court for anticipatory bail
Currently, surrounded from all sides, Pooja has knocked on the doors of the court and demanded anticipatory bail. Pooja has said that she did not commit any fraud or cheating, but presented only the correct documents from her side before UPSC. Pooja has said in her bail application that she is very young in age and is not in a position to influence the police or investigating officers in this case. All the documents related to her case are already with the investigating agencies, so there is no question of seizing anything from her. In such a situation, she should be granted bail. However, the court’s decision on this application of Pooja is yet to come.
Source (PTI) (NDTV) (HINDUSTANTIMES)